Filters are used in various applications to filter contaminates from liquids before use. For example, a filter may be installed in a refrigerator appliance or ice maker to filter water before the water is output to a user or used to make ice. In other examples, a filter may be installed in a coffee maker to filter water before the water added to coffee grounds or output to a user. In some cases, such as in refrigerator appliance applications, the filter is installed onto a pressurized water supply line such that water flowing through the water supply line is flowed through the filter. However, in other applications, the filter is submerged in a water tank filled with water and a pump is used to draw water from the water tank through the filter. These applications may include stand-alone appliances, referred to herein as non-plumbed appliances, such as coffee makers and countertop ice makers.
Water tanks for non-plumbed appliances typically have a water outlet positioned adjacent to the bottom of the water tank to enable complete draining of water during operation. For the same reason, filters used in such appliances typically include a filter inlet and a filter outlet positioned near the bottom of the filter housing. The efficacy of the filter may be contingent upon the seal joining the filter to the bottom of the tank. For instance, a quality seal is required to ensure the separation of contaminated water upstream to the filter and purified water downstream to the filter. Conventional systems use one or more O-rings provide the seal. However, O-rings typically require secondary operations and/or secondary components to house the O-ring, ensure adequate lubrication, and prevent wear. Moreover, although a seal may be formed at the one or more O-rings, additional support may be required to ensure the filter does not physically separate from the tank. Additional features often complicate installation and increase the overall footprint of the filter. This may limit the potential size, shape, and/or volume of the tank or filter.
Furthermore, mounting the filter at the bottom of a tank may hinder filter performance and/or limit certain uses. Filter media which is disposed within the filter housing might not remain completely submerged by water flowing through the filter housing. The level of water within the filter may be contingent upon the level of water within the tank itself. In some instances, only a fraction of the filter media is actually used for filtration, resulting in instable filtration, increased pressure drop, and imbalanced depletion of the filter media toward the bottom of the filter.
Accordingly, an improved filter for a non-plumbed appliance would be useful. More specifically, a filter assembly addressing one or more of the issues described above would be particularly beneficial.